


Good Days

by Blue_Crown



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Healing, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Multi, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, The Core Four Escape The Isle, United States of Auradon (Disney) Is Not Perfect
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 09:35:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25967485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Crown/pseuds/Blue_Crown
Summary: Mal, Jay, Evie and Carlos are not about to wait until Auradon calls on them. They’re escaping this island, and nobody- not the king, Fairy Godmother, or the heroes who defeated their parents- will stop them.Unfortunately, it's up to the core four to convince the country that they deserve to stay. Amidst an outbreak of chaos over four teenagers managing to escape, neither side is going down without a fight.
Relationships: Evie & Jay & Mal & Carlos de Vil, Evie/Carlos de Vil, Evie/Jay (Disney), Evie/Jay/Mal/Carlos de Vil, Evie/Mal (Disney), Jay/Carlos de Vil, Jay/Mal (Disney), Mal/Carlos de Vil
Comments: 32
Kudos: 205
Collections: Canon Divergent AUs





	1. Trapped

On bad days, Mal, Jay, Evie and Carlos recount all the ways in which they are trapped.

Mal is hardly five when she learns to renounce her natural instinct. A goblin in the square drops his basket of apples and stares dejectedly at the tumbling fruit, spilling across the dirty island concrete, and the greedy eyes of a dozen people turn to stare. Some approach to snatch the rare bit of food up before it can be taken from them- the way everything else has been- but others hesitate. Mal knows why. Her mother.

Maleficent in all of her terrifying glory stands beside her daughter, a glare resting on her regal face. The islanders gathered avoid her eyes, bow their heads, and shuffle along quietly. Mal has always reveled in this; her mother is the ruler of this place, and that makes her powerful. Power is the only goal, as she always says. Without it, after all, you will only be taken advantage of. 

Mal decides to take her mother’s word for it, although sometimes she wishes that taller people would help her get things off of high shelves. Nobody helps each other. She finds it weird. Adults don’t make sense, she muses often at night. No sense at all.

Just like right now. The goblin is choking on air as he scrambles to grab his fruit before anyone else can steal it, and the sight has Mal frowning, a pang in her little chest sending her feet moving. If she’d been the one to drop her apples, she’s sure that she’d be upset too. Adults might not make sense, but she prides herself on her clever instincts, and she hardly thinks before she’s picking up the dirt-covered bits of fruit and helping to set them gently in the basket.

Mal hums to herself, shooting the goblin a small pointed look as she hands the items back to him. It was quick work, and now things were better, and she is very proud of herself. Perfect. Except, why has the square surrounding her gone dead silent?

She looks up nervously to find her mother's face as angry and red as the apples. 

"Get up this instant," Maleficent hisses, reaching out to kick the poor goblin's basket back over. Mal feels tears spring to her eyes as he screeches, chasing after his treasure all over again, and she obediently follows her mother's order. Later that day she cries and hits the door of her own empty bedroom as she is locked inside, but nobody comes running to help a villain's daughter.

She is trapped. Completely and utterly locked in. And it is suffocating.

It's not until a full day later that she's allowed out of her dark room, claustrophobia making it hard not to cry for the second time and disappoint her mother further. Maleficent glares down at her. 

“I certainly hope you learned your lesson, little one.”

Mal swears never to be selfless and kind from that point on. She vows to always be wicked, and cruel, and mean.

She will not let herself be trapped again.

———

Jay likes to think he’s a handsome kid. 

His hair is wavy and long, his muscles nothing to scoff at, and his smile- oh, his smile could charm the masses. Yes, he’s a good looking guy and he knows it. At this particular moment, he is using this to charm a few villains into distraction. 

Because Jay is a thief, and a pretty great one at that.

He hums in faux interest at something Mother Gothel says- the old bat never shuts up about her anti-aging products, those things the Evil Queen can’t get enough of. Really, he’s eyeing the jewelry hanging from her neck, but Gothel doesn’t need to know that. She only needs to think that Jay is completely absorbed in talk of her new line of wrinkle cream.

He gets bored, sometimes, playing these games with stupid people, but it’s all he’s good at. Not that his father seems to think even that much.

Jay scowls distastefully at the reminder. His father is crazy, always prattling on about lamps and genies and power and magic. Jay hates people who talk too much about things that don’t matter. That’s why he befriended Mal- who prefers to sneer and glare and carefully observe. She may be obsessive and mean, but at least she’s quiet, unlike adults. Adults are weird, as far as he’s concerned.

So yes, he gets bored. But the thrill of a new shiny thing tucked away neatly into his slick leather vest is always worth it. And the way Jafar will examine the scores will set his heart pounding, but this was the way to success. And one day he’d steal something big and grand and finally get to relax for real, instead of the charming show he put on to lure these villains into a false sense of-

“Well, boy? Isn’t it just wonderful?”

Jay blinks. “Uh, yeah. Yeah, it’s awesome. The coolest thing on the island.” He has no idea what they’re talking about.

Gothel scowls at him, and he suppresses the urge to roll his eyes, settling instead on grinning sheepishly. Damn, he can’t let himself get distracted like that. The glittering bracelet on the woman’s wrist is practically calling out to him, and maybe he should just fight her for it. Gothel could scratch and bite and claw, but she’d never be a match against him.

Jay’s musings are cut short when a force slams into his side, knocking him to the hard ground. The wind is sucked swiftly from his lungs, and he coughs hard.

“Oh, fuck- hey!” Someone is stealing from him. Him! The best thief on the island! And this someone is much bigger and stronger, probably an adult or one of the Gaston brothers. 

Jay leaps to his feet, stumbling for just a moment. He was right. Gaston Jr, in all of his muscled glory (as the boy himself puts it), has a hold of Jay’s shoe. 

The boy is grinning like a boar, dark hair swept into his eyes and sticking across his sweaty forehead. Jay isn’t even sure which brother this is, and at the moment, he seriously doesn’t care.

“Give it back, Gaston!” He yells, leaping at the boy and swiping blunt fingers at his face. Gaston Jr just laughs and holds the stolen shoe above their heads- which is not an easy feat, considering Jay’s already impressive height. 

“Catch me if you can!” He laughs, turning and bolting in the other direction.

It’s a long chase. Jay doesn’t get tired easily, but he does get bored. And he hates looking weak. Everyone around them minds their own business- after all, a wild chase is nothing but ordinary on the isle- but he feels his face heat up regardless when he finally loses his classmate amongst the crowds in the market. How utterly embarrassing.

His father will be so disappointed.

Jay walks home in shame, only one shoe on his feet. As he mutters under his breath, cursing everyone in this damn place, he makes a silent promise.

He vows to be faster. He’ll never stop moving, never pause for even a second. Being caught in a moment of stillness gets you killed. Or worse, makes you look like a total loser. 

And Jay is no loser.

He grows up. He becomes the fastest kid on the isle. 

Nobody will ever steal from him again.

———

Her name isn’t really Evie. 

She tells herself this in the quiet of her room at night- It’s Princess Genevieve Grimhilde, not that anyone aside from her mother seems to really care.

Sometimes she wonders if it’s worth it at all, as she peruses her many storybooks and tries uselessly to imitate the lifestyles of fairytale princesses. But on the island, the life of a princess is not exactly glamorous. There are no pretty birds to sing at, only crows with matted feathers and twisted vultures glaring down at the miserable people. There are no pretty dresses or colorful banquets, only curtains for clothes and rotten apples.

Evie convinces herself that this is her ‘before’ stage. The servant Cinderella, the lonely bookworm Belle, perhaps even the Snow White in rags. But according to her mother, the ‘after’ stage will never arrive for Evie, as long as she can’t apply her makeup right.

“No, no! You’re doing it wrong! Honestly, darling, you are such a disappointment sometimes. Upward strokes, what have I taught you all these years?”

Yes, the Evil Queen herself had gone from obsessed with appearances… to even more obsessed with appearances, over the last twenty years. Evie sighs. 

“Yes, mother. I’m sorry. Upward strokes.” She glances at her mirror and grimaces, counting the many flaws in her face for what feels like the thousandth time today. Ugly nose, boring eyes, bad skin… it repeats like a mantra in her head.

If only Evie could get out of this castle. She calculates it in her head, and determines that her freedom will be secured in approximately four and half hours. Well, as far as freedom goes, that is. This entire place is still a prison.

The problem with storybook princesses is that they’re all so dumb. Not a single one seems able to fight, or steal, or even apply mascara, because they don’t need to do it like she does. Evie knows how to do all of these things, because she has to put the work in. Those Auradon women are beautiful naturally, while Evie is just… Evie. As far as she’s concerned, she’s average- less than average, even. 

So she works hard and learns the right formulas for every type of makeup on the planet that has to be made from scratch, she teaches herself how to sew beautiful clothing from old bedsheets, learns to cook with broken stovetops and sharpened sticks for forks.

And most of all, she learns to lie. Learns to put on a pretty face and giggle and look helpless. And in the quiet of her room at night, looking out over the dirty island with even dirtier people, she knows who she is. 

Evie is not a princess of Auradon, however deeply she desires it. She’s a princess of the isle. The darkness of her reign knows no bounds. She learns how to cook up various chemicals- some fatal, others not. They each have their uses. And she does it all with a pretty face.

She will not be like those girls in the books, not as long as she lives in this place.

Princess Genevieve Grimhilde will be better. Stronger. Smarter.

And she will be regal while she does it.

———

Carlos de Vil considers himself a smart kid. 

He loves school, learning, and especially science. He’s a great inventor and an even better problem solver. These are the things he prides himself on, and well… there’s not really much else. 

But Carlos does not consider himself to be brave. He examines the facts.

One, he is afraid- no, terrified- of his mother. This is the most glaringly obvious reason that he can be no great villain, or even a gallant Auradon prince riding in on his white horse, not that that kind of life interests him, anyways. It’s just not his way.

Two, he is bullied constantly. Sure, school is far better than home, but that doesn’t make it easy. Kids like Jay and Mal shove him into lockers, steal his tattered textbooks, and “accidentally” mention his greatest fear of all time. He is rather resigned to all of this, sighing and taking it, because it’s easier than trying to fight back. Carlos is known to be scrawny, anyways. 

And then there’s the aforementioned greatest fear. He can hardly bring himself to think of it. Snarling, wild beasts often plague his nightmares- that is, when Cruella isn’t the star of the show. Dogs. Rabid pack animals that want to sink their teeth into his skin and bite chunks out.

He’d look even worse than he does now. Carlos doesn’t flinch as a stinging pain shoots up his leg. He’s just glad nobody is around to watch him bandage himself up. The bear traps in his “room” got him again, and he frowns. Every time Carlos manages to accidentally injure himself this way, he’s reminded of the time he and Mal were hurt together. It’s almost strange to imagine Mal- the leader of the isle- in the same position he’s in right now.

They didn’t bandage each other up afterwards, of course. There was only an awkwardly silent parting of ways and pretending they didn’t see each other’s fresh scars. Carlos often wonders why Mal kept it a secret when it seems she normally would have used it against him somehow. He wouldn’t blame her. His mother’s closet is pretty embarrassing to him, too. 

Even more than that, he wonders why he himself didn’t use it for some advantage. It would be a way to make his life easier. After all, Mal’s social standing around the island is much more… high class, than Carlos’ is. What if he could get the bullying to stop by telling everyone that he’d managed to hurt the toughest kid around? That he’d seen frustration and pain in her eyes as she limped home? 

But some part of him just doesn’t want to. It’s curious to him, the entire situation, and Carlos is nothing if not a scientist. He wants to understand things better, and if Mal has vowed silence, then so has he. For now.

There are other things he wonders about, too. Like if he can survive his mother’s bear traps, what if he would be fine fighting off a dog as well? It’s a horrifying thought, one that almost makes him jump, and he hisses at the sting in his leg. What on earth is he thinking? Those things are killers! 

And yet…

He’s survived this much. What if he could survive that, too?

The strange train of thought floods over him, and Carlos finds himself filled with an odd sort of determination. He wants to be like the great mathematicians and scholars he reads about in his textbooks. No fear, just fantastic new discoveries made as they jump into the unknown and sort through it like nothing else matters.

He shakes his head. He still needs to find his next meal for the day. But the thought doesn’t leave his mind for a very long time.

And Carlos de Vil, in the middle of the closet he sleeps in, vows to be brave some day.

———

“Come on!” Jay laughs, struggling to wrench the book from Carlos’ hands, “it’s mine! Give it!”

“No! It’s not yours, it’s mine!” Carlos growls back, trying to keep from giggling. The two are wrestling on the floor, a worn out history book caught between their hands. The hard wooden floor of the treehouse creaks under their combined weight as dust kicks up around them. 

The boys are on the free section of the floor, surrounded by scattered papers and inventions Carlos made in his free time. A workbench, the one mirror on the island that was only slightly cracked, and a few crushed soda cans lay in the corner of the room. 

The treehouse is small, but cozy, little bits of each of the four friends’ personalities scattered throughout the room. 

The walls are covered completely by Mal’s spray paint markings- dragons, snakes, castles and dark moats, and even murals of Jay, Carlos and Evie’s faces. The only untouched spots are the tally marks made by the girl’s sharp knives carving into the wood, displaying just how many fights she’d won since the four solidified their hangout spot.

Next to the cracked mirror is a small vanity for Evie to brush her hair, little pencil markings on scrap paper sitting neatly on top of the desk. Row by row is a list of dressmaking measurements, each formula more perfect than the last.

A maroon beanie hangs from a curved hook in the wall, next to a pile of stolen goods and the group’s personal food stash. Dull, rusted coins mingle with chipped teacups and moldy bread, the best things that the self-proclaimed rotten four had ever been gifted by the world.

Carlos’ tinkering was evidenced throughout the treehouse by metal scraps and plastic objects put together masterfully. A few of his signature pairs of shorts lay folded neatly in one corner. 

“Aha! I’ve won now!” Jay grins triumphantly, finally snatching the book from the other boy’s hands. He jumps to his feet and waggles his eyebrows, sticking a hand out for Carlos to take. 

Mal scoffs from her corner of the room, “You two almost finished over there?” Her legs are crossed up in front of her, muddy boots up against the empty windowsill. The girl’s dark purple jacket is tied casually around her waist as she relaxes in a rare moment of peace amongst her friends.

“Oh, will they ever be? It’s kind of cute,” Evie giggles without looking up from her sewing kit. “Maybe you’ll win some day, Carlos.” 

Carlos frowns, accepting Jay’s outstretched hand and allowing himself to be pulled to his feet. “Yeah, if I can just use my brain to outsmart Jay’s muscles.”

“Aw, come on,” Jay flexes his arms behinds his head, smiling casually, “you’re kind of like _my _brain, you know. Can’t we work together? As a team?”__

__Mal snorts from her corner. “Right. Like that’ll ever happen. We’ll move to Auradon before you two stop squabbling like toddlers.” She uncrosses her legs and lifts a brow at Jay, who glares playfully in her direction._ _

__Carlos rolls his eyes and walks over, sitting carefully beside her and resting a white haired head on her shoulder. Jay joins them quickly, sandwiching Carlos in the middle and tangling his leg up with Mal’s._ _

__There’s a few moments of silence. It’s rare where they come from, and only found in moments with just the four of them, but relaxation is possible with effort, and in their combined effort comes peace. In their diligence comes something they do not yet have the vocabulary for._ _

__It’s been a few years since the dragon’s eye mission, back when they were twelve or so. Together, the friendship among all four has deepened significantly over the years, and they’ve become inseparable._ _

__After a few minutes, Evie pipes up. “What about what Mal just said?” The others turn to her in confusion as she continues scribbling her notes without acknowledging that she’s even spoken. Her friends look at each other._ _

__“What do you mean, Princess?” Jay raises a brow, standing up and walking over to her. He slings an arm over the blue haired girl’s shoulder._ _

__Evie sighs, turning from her work. She walks slowly with him to the middle of the room, stopping for a moment to listen to the world._ _

__Crows squawk from outside, landing on the branches of the tree in Carlos’ backyard. A steady drip of water sounds from a broken pipe nearby, and in the distance are the sounds of people shouting over the latest street fight. This is their home, damaged and dirty and all, and Evie long ago swore herself the dark princess of it all. She knows she cannot leave, so she should learn to be satisfied with it._ _

__And yet…_ _

__Glancing out the window, she can see the world outside. It’s very far away, but it never seems to leave her sight or her thoughts. A grand castle stands tall and mighty, looking out over the shimmering blue water of Belle’s Harbor._ _

__“About moving, I mean. To Auradon.”_ _

__There’s a beat of stunned silence._ _

__“I know, it’s crazy,” Evie rushes to complete her thought before anyone can point out how impossible her thoughts are, “but we’ve broken through the barrier before. With Carlos’ compass, I mean. What if we could do it again? Bring our parents, conquer the country, finally get to live like real royalty?”_ _

__More silence. She feels her face grow warm. Stupid, stupid. Of course it was insane- the original machine Evie had helped her friend to perfect had barely broken the tiniest of holes. Making anything big enough to really help them through… it would never work. Why did she have to go saying such ridiculous, naive things?_ _

__“Yeah,” Mal suddenly murmurs, “what if we did?”_ _

__The other three glance at their leader, surprised._ _

__“Are you serious, Mal?” Jay asks uncomfortably, shifting from his spot at Evie’s side, “we kinda already talked about this. It wouldn’t work. Carlos’ machine thing couldn’t actually break through big enough, right?”_ _

__Carlos furrows his brows and stands up. He begins to pace the room, and Mal can’t help but notice he’s doing that little thinking face of his. She doesn’t want to let herself think about how excited it makes her feel, something stirring inside of her like anticipation from this forbidden conversation they are finally having. If the three of them really escaped- like, actually got off of the isle- maybe her mother would finally be proud enough to give Mal her true name._ _

__Maybe she could learn what love feels like._ _

__Mal blinks. Ew, what an absolutely disgusting thought. She pushes it down, reminding herself of her vow from all those years ago. She certainly wouldn’t impress Maleficent with human thoughts like those._ _

__Evie, for her part, thinks something similar. She could finally marry a handsome prince like her mother wants, live in that wonderful grand castle, give her friends the life they really deserve. She could be free._ _

__Jay wonders distantly if this is yet another bit of hope to be snatched away, but his friends haven’t led him astray yet. He’s learned to trust them, something he never thought was possible, and here they were. All of his recent scores were out in the open, and none of his friends had stolen from him in a long time. If they think they can escape, he will follow along with loyalty, ready to protect them along the way._ _

__So Jay lets his thoughts roam wild. Gold, treasure, magic lamps and more, all for him. He could have everything he’s ever wanted, if this strange plan they’re thinking of works. And most of all, he could finally protect his friends from everything they face each day. His father can go fuck himself._ _

__Carlos thinks about his mother. He wants to be free of her cigarette smoke and shiny car and piles of chores. Maybe in Auradon, she’ll be too busy with the- he shudders at the thought- dogs, to even pay him any mind._ _

__But most of all, he thinks of what a great scientific marvel this could be. What if he were the one to break the barrier once and for all? To finally free them all and see the grand world out there? The attention would be awful, but if he hid the fact that he’d done it… yes, the accomplishment alone would be incredible._ _

__“Well, okay,” Carlos says, “I’m willing to try. But I’ll need Evie’s help to make sure the machine works again, especially one on such a big scale.” His mind is already racing with the possibilities and lists of things he’ll need to really pull this off. Surely it’s impossible, but it isn’t like they have much else to do but see if they can make this happen._ _

__Mal jumps to her feet excitedly, “Jay and I can steal whatever you need,” she says, as if reading Carlos’ mind, “and nobody is allowed to tell our parents until we’re sure it’s working. We can’t get their hopes up.”_ _

__“Wait,” Jay chimes in, “about that, uh…” He trails off._ _

__“What’s wrong?” Mal demands, sensing his discomfort like a radar. The two look at each other in their usual intense manner, years of history, feelings, and friendship built into a single stare._ _

__“I just thought about it, actually, and do we really need to take our parents? I mean look, I want revenge on King Furry as much as the next guy, but I just know my dad will take anything I get my hands on.” He scowls bitterly. Ever since the dragon’s eye incident, where Jay gave up on the ‘big score,’ his father has been even worse than usual. “Besides, won’t Cruella just keep on making Carlos wash her car? Won’t Evie have to spend all her time around some washed up prince? And Mal, what happens when your mom doesn’t need you for her plans anymore?”_ _

__More silence. It came out harsher than he’d meant it to, and Jay swallows hard. Him and his big mouth. Now Mal was going to slaughter him, and if Evie cries he’ll feel so guilty that he’ll never talk again._ _

__But then something unexpected happens._ _

__“You know what? Jay is right.”_ _

__“Huh?” He blinks in shock, turning to Mal. Her eyes are hard and determined._ _

__“I said, you’re right. That’s exactly what’ll happen. Ever since I failed the mission,” she purses her lips tightly, “my mother hasn’t even spoken to me. And your moms,” she turns finally to Evie and Carlos, both staring at her intently, “they only ever cared about makeup and chores. When have they ever given a shit about us?”_ _

__The other three can see the pain in Mal’s eyes. Out of the four of them, she’s always worked the hardest for her respective parent’s approval, and knowing how important this must be for her to say, they listen to their leader with razor sharp focus._ _

__“What if we just went on our own, then? We all know we could survive that prissy pink land of heroes, and we’ll take over Auradon ourselves. That would be the best way to prove ourselves and send a big ‘fuck you’ back home, wouldn’t it? We can come back when we’re done.” Her emerald eyes glint dangerously._ _

__The four villain kids slowly begin to smile. They put their hands together, shake on it, and start plotting their master plan._ _

__Over time, Mal and Jay steal pieces of scrap metal, plastic, and wire for their friends to build together. Slowly but surely the machine comes to life. It takes even longer than expected, and the four are approaching the age of sixteen by the time the much larger compass is finished._ _

__But Mal, Jay, Evie and Carlos are going to escape. And nobody- not the King, Fairy Godmother, or anyone else, will be able to stop them._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been planning this fic for a bit now and I'm finally getting chapter one out there. I'm just a mediocre Descendants fanfic writer getting my ideas out there, and hopefully it strikes with someone who likes the idea. If you liked this chapter or story concept, or have any constructive criticism for me, please go ahead and leave a comment! I hope to finish this monster over the next collection of months. I know my writing needs work but I like this anyways.
> 
> And a special thanks to @fuck-you-i-am-spiderman on tumblr for always encouraging my ideas and writing. Thanks Katie!


	2. Prison Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The isle kids break through. Now they have to row to Auradon.

Their plan is as close to perfect as they could get it.

“Is it ready?” Evie fidgets with her purse, filled with notebooks and makeup and other necessities. ‘A princess must always be prepared,’ her mother’s voice chimes in her head, and she blinks hard. She won’t have to hear that voice anymore, not after today.

Carlos nods. The compass flashes on and off in his hands, nearly as bright as the shimmering yellow light of the barrier the foursome faces just a few feet away.

Mal stands up, hand uncharacteristically intertwined with Jay’s. It’s the middle of the night, but that provides little privacy here, as dozens of villains and their children still roam the marketplace in these late hours.

“Let’s get off this damn island.” She says, her eyes cold and determined.

There’s a tense silence, and after a few moments of fidgeting, the plan starts with a bang. 

The four are pushed backwards by a gust of wind, seemingly out of nowhere, and the little machine begins whirring madly. Some kind of force- scientifically oriented, Carlos is sure- has entered the atmosphere. He quickly moves to point the antenna at the barrier wall.

This is it. The metal heats up in his hands and he winces slightly, but keeps his hold firm. 

_’Be strong. Come on, you can’t mess this up when we’re this far in. And you've had worse.’ _He reminds himself, trying to stay brave.__

__“Look!” Evie gasps as a tear opens in the dome ahead of them, slowly eating its way through the magic. It’s like the barrier has been cut through by a mighty sword, plunging straight ahead and opening up an entirely new world. It’s an incredible sight as the yellow of the dome melts away like fire burning through paper. In just a few moments, a hole the size of a large window is their new gateway to the outside._ _

__There’s a beat of silent apprehension as the four stare at their accomplishment. They really did it._ _

__They broke the barrier. Again._ _

__“Well, what are we waiting for?” Mal scoffs, though her friends can sense the twinge of nervousness in her voice. Still, the daughter of Maleficent forges ahead, pushing past any fear or doubt of their plan and choosing instead to be strong. She walks up to the shining tear in the barrier and sticks one hand straight through it._ _

__They each hold their breath._ _

__When nothing happens, Mal lets out a silent sigh of relief and turns to the other three, grinning wickedly._ _

__“Come on. We’re getting out of this rotten place.”_ _

__———_ _

__Jay can’t believe it worked._ _

__After all this time, and it happened just like that. Carlos and Evie stare at the hole in wonder, utterly disbelieving they had really done it, that months of planning had come to this. Mal is the first to jump down to the shoreline of filth below, and he quickly follows._ _

__As soon as he sees the boat they’re using, Jay starts regretting the entire plan._ _

__It’s a rickety old thing, and the rotting wooden panels look less like a rowboat and more like a collection of trash from his dad’s shop. The water around the boat churns angrily, a shade of blue so dark it’s almost black, and Jay can feel it in his stomach._ _

__Off in the far distance, the grand castle of the high King and Queen juts into the sky above, so different from the clouds above the island that it doesn’t feel quite real._ _

__“I can’t believe we’re really doing this,” Evie mutters tentatively as she climbs into the rowboat, having jumped down swiftly after. Her travel bag is strapped to her shoulders, crossing her blouse and coming to rest at her waist. Usually perfect blue hair sticks to her forehead in the humidity._ _

__Carlos and Mal enter together, helping one another settle in safely, and then it’s Jay’s turn. They decided early on that he should be the one to row while the others keep watch for anyone trying to follow behind them._ _

__“Well, start believing it, E. This is history in the making, and unlike our parents, we’re going to end up the winners of this story.” Mal leans back, staring distantly at the island they’re leaving behind. The lights of the market seem almost brighter than usual, and she feels a pang of strange sorrow at the sight._ _

__Mal’s heart beats hard as they slowly begin to row away._ _

__The plan isn’t simple, not by any means. They had pored over the details for months, negotiating and renegotiating and doubting themselves. The decision that stuck with them was the choice not to bring their parents along- although that wasn’t particularly easy, either._ _

__Some part of Jay thinks that Mal still wants to prove herself to Maleficent, even after agreeing to leave her behind. They were, after all, planning to come back eventually. A very long time from now._ _

__As far as Jay is concerned, Jafar can fuck right off, and so can the rest of their parents. As long as his friends are safe, he doesn’t care whether they want to come back some day. Once they rule the world, they’ll rule their parents too- Carlos will be safe, Evie can live how she wants to, Mal can relax her tense shoulders._ _

__And once Jay has the gold, he’ll make the rules._ _

__———_ _

__Carlos isn’t sure how to feel, either._ _

__On one hand, he feels proud for once in his life. Proud of his friends’ strength, and even to some extent, of his own intuition. There’s some strange sense of shock at the fact that he- Carlos, the nobody, the small freckled guy who spends his evenings mopping the floors of Hell Hall- broke the barrier. Not once, but _twice, _and a hole big enough to fit through, no less!___ _

____But on the other hand… he glances at the waves lapping against the side of the boat. The sky is so much brighter out here, but the water is still dark and chaotic. It’s filled with unknown things, new and incredible and so, so terrifying. The curious side of him marvels at the sight, but he can feel his body begin to shake regardless._ _ _ _

____As he gets more and more absorbed in his thoughts, Carlos’ mind starts racing. Where were they going to end up, exactly? The plan was well thought out, they’d spent months making decisions as they slowly rebuilt the machine, and he trusted Mal to lead them wherever she needed to go. But there were so many factors they simply couldn’t account for._ _ _ _

____What if they only end up getting caught and thrown back in? Where will Carlos be, then?_ _ _ _

____He feels a warm hand slip into his, and the swirling mess of thoughts pauses. Taking a deep breath, he glances up to see Jay gazing at him, a crooked smile on his face._ _ _ _

____“You’re good, dude. No matter what, we’re together, and that’s what matters.” He murmurs, and Carlos feels his shoulders start to relax. Jay’s words didn’t quite fix things- he wasn’t sure that was possible- but he can sense his compassion and care for him. He finds himself extremely grateful for it._ _ _ _

____Evie and Mal watch the exchange quietly, innocuously moving closer to their friends. As they continue rowing along, the four seek comfort from each other, and give it out eagerly in return._ _ _ _

____———_ _ _ _

____“What do you think we’ll find out there?”_ _ _ _

____Mal raises a brow at Evie’s question. The blue-haired girl has been staring at the shoreline in the distance with intense focus for a few minutes now._ _ _ _

____“Prissy princesses. Big castles. Asshole kings just waiting for their thrones to be toppled and seized. Why do you ask?” She says, and the boys crack smiles. Evie, however, only continues her staring. Mal blinks, frowning as she sits up. The daughter of Maleficent taps on her friend’s shoulder._ _ _ _

____“Hey, come on,” She mutters softly, “it’s like Jay said. We’re together, and we’re strong.”_ _ _ _

____Mal is extremely confident in their abilities as a team. This new adventure is wild and exciting, and although she’ll never admit it out loud, it’s also rather terrifying. Sure, she’s stressed, but when is she not? It’s normal to be constantly scanning for threats- that’s how all isle kids are._ _ _ _

____She wonders vaguely if she can really do this. Taking over Auradon… it’s what she’s always wanted. No more having to prove herself, only power and control and her own reign across the land. She knows now that her mother will never approve of her, but proving Maleficent wrong would be oh so sweet._ _ _ _

____After all, they say revenge is best served cold. Well, that’s Mal’s specialty. She’s going to show them all just how powerful she can be._ _ _ _

____Evie sighs, dragging Mal from her own thoughts._ _ _ _

____“I just wonder, you know? How long will we have to hide away? If it’s as amazing as they say,” she stares off dreamily, “I just want to experience it all.”_ _ _ _

____Mal nearly gags- imagine all the sunlight they’re about to see, who could want that?- but she keeps her composure for her friend’s sake. She knows how long the girl has dreamed of this day, and she can’t spoil that for her. Even if the idea of singing songs with birds makes her want to run away screaming._ _ _ _

____“Well, I’m sure you’ll blend right in. Really, it’s Mal who will have trouble. Can you imagine her shedding her leather for a pretty dress?” Jay winks in her direction. Ugh, what an ass. Mal hates how her chest gets all warm and pleasant, when her friends do some mundane activity that shouldn’t make her feel as nice as it does._ _ _ _

____“Hm. That’s funny, considering you’re the one still wearing that dumb beanie,” she scoffs, and Jay mock gasps._ _ _ _

____“Why, Mal! I’ll have you know,” the boy puts on his best mocking-a-prince voice, “that this is the crown of only the finest of kings! Now, bow before me!”_ _ _ _

____“Bite me.”_ _ _ _

____“Only if you ask nicely.”_ _ _ _

____“I hate you.”_ _ _ _

____Evie giggles, and Mal feels that unwelcome warmth again._ _ _ _

____For once, she finds she doesn’t seem to mind._ _ _ _

____———_ _ _ _

____Everything is peaceful until someone falls into the water._ _ _ _

____Evie is still staring longingly at the castle when it happens. After so long, she’s finally getting a closer look at something real, and it’s overwhelming. A feeling of envy washes over her as she thinks about the people who live inside, never starving or having to eat garbage, never having to run across dirty concrete from a fear that grips your heart and convinces you that you’re about to be killed._ _ _ _

____The envy quickly turns into sadness, and anger, and longing, and a thousand other emotions she can’t articulate right now because the castle is all she can focus on._ _ _ _

____It’s beautiful._ _ _ _

____They set off some time ago, the minutes blurring into an hour and continuing on. As they get closer, she can see it. A white marble tower soars above the clouds, fresh green lawns spread out for what looks like miles around the building’s walls. Far in the distance, Evie thinks she can see a shining light illuminating the castle, and she’s unsure whether it’s magic or simply a trick of the eyes- or perhaps a trick of the ideals. Either way, it’s gorgeous, and she is lost in thought for a very long time._ _ _ _

____Their plan took so long that it’s hard to believe they’re really putting it into action now. Some day, when they’re stronger, they’ll be back. Secretly though, Evie doesn’t want that. She wants her perfect life, yes, but most of all she wants her friends to be somewhere where they can be free._ _ _ _

____She especially wants it for Carlos, who’s never been much of a fighter like their other two friends. Even Evie has her potions and sharp tongue, but Carlos… the boy can fight when he needs to, absolutely, but only as a last resort. She wants so desperately to give her first ever friend the warmth he deserves._ _ _ _

____Jay and Mal deserve it, too. They always have._ _ _ _

____But does Evie? She isn’t sure she deserves much of anything._ _ _ _

____She shakes her head, frowning. Happiness is only for the heroes, the last sixteen years have proven that to her, but maybe together they can make their own fairytale ending._ _ _ _

____Suddenly, she hears Mal shouting. Carlos’ hand is yanked from hers and she feels herself moving forward against her own will. The boat rocks violently, threatening to send her flailing, and Evie yelps as she’s pushed against the damp wood._ _ _ _

____“Jay!” Carlos yells, scrambling to the edge of the rowboat and thrusting one hand in the water- Evie wonders distantly how the boy becomes so fearless when his friends are involved- and his torso is gripped fiercely by Mal, preventing another one of their own from falling in._ _ _ _

____Evie presses her body closer across the boat to ensure that they don’t tip over as her breathing turns harsh and her heart beats wildly in her chest. Will Jay be alright? How safe is this ocean? What if he never comes back up?_ _ _ _

____Carlos’ face scrunches up painfully as he tries to pull Jay from the water. The boy is struggling to stay afloat and Evie’s heart sinks. _None of them ever learned how to swim. _____ _ _

______“Pull, Carlos! Come on, you can do it!” Mal grunts, unable to release her hold on her friend’s midsection. Her voice is panicked, but filled with authority, and Carlos finds himself pulling so hard he thinks he’ll dislocate something. But his friend needs him, and he won’t give up until Jay is safe._ _ _ _ _ _

______There’s a terrifying moment where Evie thinks the boat will really tip. There’s only chaotic shouting and water splashing against the side, soaking their clothes._ _ _ _ _ _

______But a moment later, Jay is pulled back up with one last tug. The boy groans as a full body shudder overtakes him, the air suddenly much colder and harsher than before._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Thank evil,” Evie breathes against the wood. All of the strength has been drained from her body, and tears suddenly well up behind her eyes. This is all just… so much. After everything, their entire lives, they’re here. They’re out. And they have no idea what they're doing._ _ _ _ _ _

______Evie isn’t sure how to feel. As the four each catch their breath, her eyes meet Jay’s own. They stare at each other gently for what feels like an eternity. Mal has one arm wrapped around Jay as her other hand grips Evie’s wrist cooly. Carlos looks up from his wet hands to his friends._ _ _ _ _ _

______“What happened? Are you alright?” Mal demands, her eyes glowing bright emerald._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Give me a second to breathe, maybe?” Jay manages a weak grin before suddenly coughing. Carlos places a hand softly on his chest._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I was just trying to grab this for Princess,” he groans, holding a hand out. In his palm is what looks like a silver pendant on a chain, probably a necklace that someone from Auradon didn’t want anymore and fell off of the shipment to the isle. The piece of jewelry is soaking wet, but in nice condition._ _ _ _ _ _

______Evie bites her lip. “Oh, Jay, you shouldn’t have done that,” she murmurs as if in a daze, but takes out to grab the necklace from his outstretched hand. She tentatively clips it around her neck. It fits perfectly, and she finds herself blushing._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Don’t do that again, man,” Carlos runs a hand through his own hair shakily, glancing at Mal, “I’m not exactly strong enough to pull you up a second time.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Yeah, don’t be so fucking reckless,” Mal hisses, and Jay ignores her to glance at Evie, smiling._ _ _ _ _ _

______“It looks nice on you, beautiful.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______She laughs in complete disbelief, and it’s all Jay was hoping for. Mal groans and Carlos rolls his eyes. They breathe in unison. The air is tense around them, but it’s still. All is quiet. This won’t be easy, but at least they’re together._ _ _ _ _ _

______And Evie knows, without a doubt, that she is not alone._ _ _ _ _ _

______———_ _ _ _ _ _

______They’ve been rowing for hours. Carlos’ hair frizzes up from the sticky air, and he finds himself glad Evie isn’t fidgeting with her mirror right now. He doesn’t want to catch himself in it looking like Cruella._ _ _ _ _ _

______Ever since the others caught on to his worry and helped calm him down, he’s felt better about things, but he can’t help but wonder if there’s something he’s forgetting. Maybe Auradon wouldn’t be so bad, certainly better than the island, but that little curiosity nags at him like a missing screw in a machine. What could he be missing?_ _ _ _ _ _

______Well, it certainly isn’t coming to him any time soon, no matter how hard he thinks on it. For now, all he can do is wait and fidget around._ _ _ _ _ _

______Another half hour passes, and their little boat pulls close to their destination. This is it._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Look, up ahead.” Carlos points to the shoreline._ _ _ _ _ _

______The four had veered off to the right some time ago, knowing that pulling up to the castle of King Beast was nothing if not a death sentence. Now the enormous mass of land is creeping up on them faster than they thought possible._ _ _ _ _ _

______Auradon really is as bright as they say._ _ _ _ _ _

______A massive forest spreads out before their eyes, the tall trees greener than any flora they’d ever encountered before. Flowers of every color of the rainbow adorn the ground, well-kept and lively despite being seemingly so far from any city or town. Even the dirt is richer here, and Mal was right- the sun shines brightly down upon them, warm and so unfamiliar._ _ _ _ _ _

______The air itself buzzes with life, and the baddest kids on the isle stare, mesmerized. Magic. It flows through the ground and up into their bones like electricity, and they find themselves energized with the force of it all. Even Carlos, ever the skeptic, looks around in wonder._ _ _ _ _ _

______They’re here, and they’re ready._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Let’s go.”_ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jeez, Jay. You really said ’if it’s shiny or glowing I will grab it and don’t test me on that.’
> 
> I’ll be trying to update every Monday. If you have any constructive feedback, I’m welcome to it in the comments. Am I balancing the point of views well enough- any particular character that needs more or less screen time? Is anyone out of character? I’m happy to hear it! Thank you for the lovely comments last chapter.


	3. A Whole New World

In this new world, Mal is buzzing with something incredible. 

She feels the telltale sting behind her eyes, alerting her to the bright emerald glow, but she doesn’t bother focusing on turning it off. It’s magic, and she _adores _it. Everything her mother told her about in their rare casual moments, when Maleficent almost seemed to feel an emotion other than anger, invigorates her in a wave.__

__Magic feels like recovering a lost leg._ _

__She’s eager to begin casting spells, but she wasn’t able to steal Maleficent’s spellbook- it was like the dark fae had a sixth sense for the damn thing. She feels almost lonely without some souvenir, but with the way her entire being buzzes, she can’t be bothered to care._ _

__She also knows that her friends sticking by her side has something to do with her comfort, but that’s for her to know._ _

__“This place is… incredible,” Evie breathes beside Mal, her hazel eyes sparkling with a childish amazement none of them have ever truly felt before. She automatically touched up her makeup on the walk, after they’d abandoned their boat, and she looks as beautiful as ever. Mal silently hopes she’ll stop doing that as the Evil Queen’s voice in her head quiets down._ _

__Carlos gazes at the treetops towering above. “Yeah… I wonder if we could steal some books from a library somewhere. I’d like the chance to understand the environment here better,” he steps around a small pond and squints for a proper view of its contents. The sparkling blue water is clearer than any he’s ever seen, even what he’d managed to get with the filter he built back home._ _

__Mal walks straight through the fresh mud in her boots, leading the charge into a new world. “Don’t be too hasty. We need to hide for a good while before we can go stealing, except for essential stuff like food. We’ll be patient, right _Jay _?” She eyes the boy.___ _

____Jay, who had been poking at an unfamiliar creature with a stick, raises his hands in a mock surrender. “Hey now! What makes you think I’ll be stupid? I’m always so careful, after all,” he smiles in his charming way._ _ _ _

____“Mal is right,” Evie sighs as she steps over the thick log of a tree, “we need to be on our best behavior until we’re sure it’s safe, and that means no separating from the group, and no rushing in somewhere we’re not familiar with. Which, er… is anywhere.”_ _ _ _

____Jay nods, choosing to hold onto the stick. Just in case. Who knows when some Auradon freaks are going to come out of nowhere and jump them? Steal all their stuff, lock them up, send them back to the island? He can’t be too careful._ _ _ _

____He’ll never let them hurt his friends, that’s for sure. Jay will rip them apart with his bare hands first._ _ _ _

____The water from a nearby branch drips steadily, and the four push through, like they always do._ _ _ _

____———_ _ _ _

____The trees are even more astonishing up close._ _ _ _

____When Evie is ten, she asks her mother about real trees._ _ _ _

____She sits in the little wooden chair in her room, facing the vanity and staring back at herself. A small textbook borrowed from the school library is hidden away under her desk, next to the pile of practiced equations on tattered paper, and she silently prays that it will not be found today._ _ _ _

____Grimhilde holds a brush in her hands, running it through Evie’s hair, and they’ve been here for hours. The woman hums happily as she tugs harshly, pulling at imaginary knots, and her daughter winces. She’s talking to the mirror again, about all manner of things she used to love, when she had her own kingdom. When she was a real queen, and could’ve made Evie a real princess._ _ _ _

____The question makes her mother’s face light up. The Evil Queen describes grand forests and beautiful sunshine, her voice tight and seething at the people who left them to rot here. She tells her about the lakes and music and most of all, magic, beautiful magic that flows through her veins and yet is suppressed by the very force itself. Her mother rambles for hours, and Evie sighs, because she should know better than to set the woman off like this._ _ _ _

____“Don’t make that face, darling, or you’ll end up with wrinkles. Sit up straight,” The woman gives her a tight smile, “and remember, one of these days you will make it out of here and get mommy back to her rightful place. Now fetch me the eyeliner, you clearly can’t be trusted to do this yourself. Isn’t that right, mirror?”_ _ _ _

____With one last glance out the window, Evie is once again lost in her own dreams. She wonders if her prince likes trees._ _ _ _

____“Yes, mother.”_ _ _ _

____And now she is sixteen, under the canopy and venturing into the most terrifying thing of all- the unknown- and she’s not doing it with a knight in shining armor. Evie slips her hand into Mal’s and watches as the boys bump shoulders and laugh._ _ _ _

____She’s on this adventure with something much better._ _ _ _

____For just a moment, she thinks she sees a flash of something red up in the tree, but it’s quickly gone from view._ _ _ _

____———_ _ _ _

____The island is fading behind them._ _ _ _

____As far as Jay is concerned, good riddance. His chest tightens with something like glee- although he isn’t one to care much about nature, he’s much more excited at the prospect of fresh food._ _ _ _

____They’re nearly out, even with the time they took to scrounge up moldy bits of bread and rotten fruit before leaving, and Jay finds himself scanning for something to eat in the bushes. His hair is still damp, and the son of Jafar shivers in the shadow of the forest. He is cold, wet, and fidgeting with energy._ _ _ _

____After his fall into the ocean, a hollow feeling set in his chest like a ball of ice. Jay curses under his breath, which is shallow, and hopes he isn’t about to get sick. Fuck that. He doesn’t have time for it. He needs something to do, something to distract himself with… he glances at the girls, holding hands and speaking softly to one another. Once he’s sure they’re doing alright, Jay turns to Carlos._ _ _ _

____The smaller boy is muttering under his breath, seemingly very focused on reciting some mantra, or perhaps going over the periodic table again. He has a tendency to do that when he gets overwhelmed, Jay knows. Maybe they can help each other._ _ _ _

____“Hey, ‘Los,” He throws steps closer and throws an arm over his friend’s shoulder, “watcha doing?”_ _ _ _

____Carlos looks up at him, surprised, but without any fear. He hadn’t even flinched at the sudden movement, something that Jay takes quite a bit of pride in. Carlos isn’t scared of him, and the thought makes Jay feel strangely good in a way he can’t describe._ _ _ _

____“I’m just going over the plan again. We already got the boat from the goblins, got across the bay, and now we’re here… next is to find more food and hide out for a while, but we’re not sure where or how,” The boy frowns, and Jay’s chest tightens a bit a the motion, “Don’t you also wish we could have planned further ahead?”_ _ _ _

____He scuffs his worn out sneakers against a nearby rock. “I’m a planner, Jay. I just…” he trails off uncomfortably. It’s another of Carlos’ quirks- when he doesn’t like something, he can’t seem to find the words for it._ _ _ _

____Jay frowns. The shorter boy had been so excited about his machine and the prospect of escaping the island that he’d barely seemed nervous until now, but he knows that Carlos is the most skeptical about this plan. The freckled genius doubts himself too much._ _ _ _

____“Remember what I said on the boat,” He rests his chin on his friend’s curly haired head as they walk, “it’ll be alright as long as we’re together. Mal will lead us like always, Evie can fuck anyone up if she wants to, and I’ll protect you guys. You just have to do what you always do.”_ _ _ _

____Carlos raises a brow. “And what’s that?”_ _ _ _

____Jay grins. “Stand there and look cute.”_ _ _ _

____Carlos’s laugh never felt quite right on the isle. It was quiet and nervous, too shaky for Jay’s comfort, as they all prepared to be attacked at any moment. They’re not changing their lifestyle any time soon- after all, they’re still the same isle kids from before._ _ _ _

____But already, Jay thinks, Carlos’s laugh is just a little more carefree. Just a little louder._ _ _ _

____It’s the most beautiful sound he’s ever heard._ _ _ _

____———_ _ _ _

____“Guys, look!” Evie gasps, rushing forward faster than most people possibly could in heels, “in the trees! I was just looking again and I saw… I could have sworn…” she pauses suddenly, reaching up towards the branches of a tree lighter in color than most._ _ _ _

____They’ve been walking in silence for a short time, trying to find a good place to settle with food. Old, tattered storybooks that ended up thrown away by Auradon showed them berries on bushes, fruit in trees, and a vast population of animals to hunt (Carlos seemed slightly sick at the idea, so they’re ruling it out for now)._ _ _ _

____When the blue haired girl brings her hand back, it is clutching an oddly bright red object, spherical and roughly the size of the rocks that isle kids like to throw at each other for sport._ _ _ _

____“Wait… is that…?” Carlos asks quizzically, reaching out to take hold of the item, but a sudden movement stops him in his tracks. Mal swiftly jumps forward, grabs it from Evie’s hand, and examines it closely._ _ _ _

____“Hold on. Let me check it first.”_ _ _ _

____There’s a moment of silence as Mal checks the mysterious item for anything suspicious or dangerous. After a long few seconds, she makes an odd face at it. “Wait,” she mutters, and brings it closer to her face, but before she can continue the sphere is snatched from her hands, too._ _ _ _

____Jay looks it over next, and after another moment of staring at it, he and Mal share a glance. He raises a brow and the daughter of Maleficent silently nods her permission. Jay leans down and takes a bite of the strange object._ _ _ _

____Evie sucks in a breath. She trusts her friends, but the thought of something happening to Jay makes her heart pound. He seems to have had the same thought she did, come to the same realization as Mal, that Carlos would soon come to see as well._ _ _ _

____Jay chews, actually has to _chew the food, _because it’s colorful and firm and not made of mush. Evie thinks she knows what this mysterious food is, and if she’s right… she takes a deep breath to calm the sick feeling washing over her.___ _ _ _

_______One bite, and all your dreams will come true. Now make a wish._ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Mal stares intensely at her right hand man, assessing him for any signs of choking or poisoning. The two were always the ones to go out into the market and steal for the group, an activity that went back to years before their crew of four began. They know how to assess a situation and decide whether to eat, although the answer is usually to do it or risk starvation._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________She can’t lose him now. Not after everything they’ve been through together._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Jay swallows._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Each of them stares with anticipation. “So, is it alright?” Evie murmurs, clutching the silver pendant hanging from her neck nervously._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Jay contemplates it for a moment, running his tongue over his front teeth. Slowly, he turns his eyes from the food in his hands to the group of three in front of him. “Seems fine to me. It tastes weird, though. Really good, but super fucking sweet.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Mal sighs in barely contained relief. “That’s because it’s an apple, dipshit. They’re supposed to be sweet, a least in places that have fresh food.” Jay smiles and throws an arm around his friend._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Aw, were you worried about me, Emmy?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Don’t call me that,” she scoffs, but quickly leans into his side hug._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Carlos and Evie continue to stare at the apple. After all this time… and that’s what they’re supposed to look like? Glancing up, they can see dozens, maybe hundreds of them in the trees. They’re elated, thrilled, and…_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Furious. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________The surrounding trees could feed all of the isle kids for a week, and they’re just sitting here out in the middle of a forest. They know that King Beast doesn’t care about them, or how many kids have to live without food on that rotting island, but this… this is an entirely new level that they were unaware of._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________As Mal leans into Jay’s side, she feels her blood boiling. The thought of those high and mighty royals sitting on their thrones, wielding the power to do something, _anything _at all, and choosing not to makes her want to scream. Not for herself, but for her friends, and for the younger kids who haven’t yet learned how to fend for themselves. Selflessness is unfamiliar in her mind and it’s dizzying.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________She knows that Jay, Evie, and Carlos are strong. They’ve been through things that would make dumb Auradon kids weep. But she longs to protect them, to lead them into comfort and happiness and most of all, safety._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________The sight of all the apple trees makes her feel powerless, trapped and confused like that scared little girl locked in her room, with no idea what she even did wrong. The basket of fruit that day in the market had been rotted and disgusting. How could they even have come from these things in the trees? And why the fuck do heroes deserve these things any more than the rest of them do?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________She vows to herself that she will take the power from these people and use it for what’s right. What’s right is an island full of children who can eat whenever and whatever they fucking want. What’s right is for Auradon to finally understand. What’s right is Mal on the throne, and Maleficent to finally be the one small and embarrassed and _hurt, _just like Mal always has been.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Mal?” A quiet whisper interrupts her thoughts. She snaps her eyes to Carlos, knowing their emerald glow is as strong as it’s ever been. The boy doesn’t even flinch. His eyes have an intensity almost akin to her own, just by virtue of being his._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“We need to focus. I know what you’re thinking, and I get it.” He murmurs, and it’s only then that she notices his gloved hand on her wrist. “But right now we just need to hide.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________She almost snaps, _you’ve always been good at that, _but she knows it wouldn’t be fair. Her anger is getting the best of her, and Carlos is right. He’s always right, and he’s always been better at controlling himself than Mal has.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Their gazes stay locked on each other, conveying _I know. I see you, and your darkness, and I’m here anyways. I’m here. _____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Mal takes a deep breath. “Alright. I know.” She needs to stick to her own plan. No rushing in anywhere. The unspoken “thank you” doesn’t bother Carlos. Neither of them have ever been all that good with manners- for obvious reasons- but he doesn’t let go of her arm, and she doesn’t push him away, and that’s all that matters._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________They quickly find a spot to sit down and tear into the fruit, shoving more of it into their leather pockets even as they eat. Evie wrapped her scarf around Jay’s shoulders long ago, but she worriedly notes that he is still shivering regardless, and he catches her staring._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“I’m fine, princess. Just getting comfortable, you know?” But even his reassurances don’t sound as confident as usual. His hair is only just drying, and Evie bites her lip._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“What if you get sick? I don’t have my usual things with me, and I’m not sure where to find what I need to make more. We might end up needing to steal something if it gets bad.” Carlos and Mal, leaning against each other on a nearby rock, listen intently._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Jay scoffs. “Sick? Me? Do I look sick to you, Eves?” He makes an attempt at flexing, which Evie looks entirely unimpressed by._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“This isn’t the time to joke around, I’m worried about you.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________His smile melts away quickly as she pouts. “Ah, hey, I’m sorry. You’re right. I guess I do feel kind of cold still, but I’ll be alright. And if not, we’ll figure something out. It’s the four of us, right?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Sensing the insecurity in his friend’s tone, Carlos quickly nods. “The four of us,” He echoes. Mal’s hand tightens around his own, and the promise does not need to be spoken._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“We’ll be careful. You’re going to be alright, Jay.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________The tall boy smiles almost weakly. “I know.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________———_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Once upon a time, a young girl was cursed to sleep for a thousand years._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________This was the result of a bitter villain, consumed entirely by jealousy and rage, and one missing invitation to a christening. This set off a tale of a kingdom filled with heartbreak, three good fairies, and a gallant knight to save the sleeping beauty._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________The two lived happily ever after, with a baby of their own and a beautiful kingdom to rule over with pride._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________And once upon a time, the girl grew up._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Sitting by her window, the raven haired woman hums happily to the tune of yet another pop song her daughter wished for her to listen to. Although she much prefers classical (remembering the dance she shared with her husband all those years ago, she smiles), nothing can compare to the moments that the girl shares her passions with her mother. She is filled with love for her family._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________As Queen Aurora gazes out to the sunset, she feels almost as if nothing could ever go wrong again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How wrong could Aurora be?
> 
> Regarding update times, I felt that chapter two was a little rushed, so I'll be extending the schedule to a bit longer than weekly. It should still be pretty smooth, though, I hope! Thanks for the lovely comments last time, each one absolutely made my day <3


	4. Going Forward

“Hold on. How much _exactly _are we going to need to rework things?”__

__Carlos’ voice is stronger, more confident than before, as he leans against a nearby boulder. Parts of the rock jut out against his skin, poking into his legs, but he doesn’t seem to mind. His friends have formed a circle around a collection of apples as they slowly eat their after-meal snack._ _

__Jay is curled up with Evie’s scarf as he sits on a stump, sniffling occasionally through bites of food. He had reassured everyone multiple times that he isn’t sick- not from one fall into some stupid water- but they can clearly see how cold he is in his sleeveless leather vest. Evie frets over him from her spot in the grass, where Carlos’ own jacket sits to protect the girl’s clothes from stains._ _

__Mal is the only one standing, pacing back and forth with a crease in her forehead, despite Evie’s many warnings about wrinkles._ _

__“Like I said, I’m all good. We don’t need to rework anything,” Jay says, grinning brightly as if to display just how ‘fine’ he is, but only succeeding in showing off the food in his mouth. He leans forward against his knees, “besides, weren’t all of you _just _freaking out about sticking to the plan?”___ _

____Evie sighs. “That was before we thought you might need help. We were always going to need to find somewhere to gather resources, we had just… hoped it would be later, when we were more settled.” She frowns at a bug crawling near her shoe. All those years in her dusty castle, and Evie thinks she’ll never get used to those creepy things._ _ _ _

____Jay makes a face. Had he really messed up that bad? He just wanted to get something nice for his friend, after all the chaos of building the machine and leaving their parents behind. Everyone could use a little stress relief sometimes, especially his wound up group. But…_ _ _ _

____A sense of guilt settles in his chest. Now he’s ruined things for them, all for some necklace (although Evie does look stunning, he must admit). They have to rework their plan around his mistake. Why does he always have to mess up like this?_ _ _ _

____“Even if you don’t get sick, you should probably get some new clothes,” Mal glances his way, and Jay swears she can read his mind. Either way, she doesn’t say anything, and he’s grateful for it. “And it's getting colder every second. We'll probably need to get blankets for camping out here anyways. It’s just a question of how we want to play this.”_ _ _ _

____The sun isn’t as bright now, after hours of walking and eating, and a cool breeze rustles the leaves nearby. Flowers spread out below them, with the sunset above, and creatures chirp from places unknown. Evie can hardly pay attention to the discussion at times as she admires the environment. No wonder Snow White was singing to birds- maybe she wasn’t so crazy after all._ _ _ _

____"Yeah, I guess it's pretty cold. And we were going to go in eventually, right? I haven't... pushed us too far ahead?"_ _ _ _

____The others nod their agreement without a word, and it makes him feel a thousand times worse._ _ _ _

____“I say we spend the night here and look for civilization tomorrow,” Mal turns to her friends, “any disagreements?”_ _ _ _

____Glancing up at the orange sky, Carlos considers their position. The sun is setting fast. He’s amazed- and a little weirded out- that their journey has already lasted an entire day. Tightly gripping his pocket knife in one hand, he thinks about the various animals that could emerge from the dark of the forest while they sleep, and takes a deep breath. Even if there are rabid, ferocious pack animals out here…_ _ _ _

____He goes over the list in his head. Build the machine, trade for a boat to leave in, find a hiding spot, camp there, steal clothes and blankets from one of the kingdoms… Carlos’ head races with the possibilities. He’s not fond of change, and they’re advancing a pretty big step ahead. But still…_ _ _ _

____Carlos is an isle kid, and he’s going to show it. No more uncertainty. Just one night._ _ _ _

____He can handle this._ _ _ _

____“Let’s do it,” he states firmly, glancing around at his friends, and Mal raises a curious eyebrow in his direction. She stares at him with interest._ _ _ _

____“Alright. Which way do we want to go?” She asks, her lips forming a small smile, “I’m assuming we’re avoiding Beast’s castle, but unless someone has a map of Auradon I don’t know about, we’re not exactly knowledgable of the land here.”_ _ _ _

____There’s a moment of silence. Each of them knows that they’re highly out of their element in such an unfamiliar setting, and the path they choose could be a life or death decision. From what they could see across the ocean from the island, King Adam's home rests just across from them near the shore of the water. They'd washed up in a forest near it, to the right as one faces the castle, but they have no idea where any of the other kingdoms in the country are, and they could make a fatal mistake by stumbling upon the wrong one._ _ _ _

____Evie stands, seemingly refocusing her attention on the issue at hand._ _ _ _

____She clears her throat. “Well, one direction is already ruled out- the direction we came from. We know that going too far west will just lead us to King Adam’s castle, and like Mal said, we don’t want that. So,” she makes an L shape with two fingers, one directed forward and the other to their immediate right, and points it ahead, “that just leaves north or east. And if there aren’t any kingdoms to the east, we’ll just hit water again.”_ _ _ _

____Carlos nods his approval, standing alongside the blue haired girl. “So north is our best option for now. As long as we aren’t caught, as… as long as we don’t stand out too much.” He fidgets with his jacket zipper, and Mal places a reassuring hand on his shoulder._ _ _ _

____Jay stays silent throughout the exchange. Great. Now on top of messing with the plan, he can’t even think straight enough to help with reworking it, because his body is getting so damn cold as the sun sets. He’s always been prone to sickness- every isle kid seems to be, for some reason he doesn’t understand- but this is just fucking stupid._ _ _ _

____He’s just fucking stupid._ _ _ _

____“It’s a plan,” Mal sounds satisfied, “now let’s set up camp.”_ _ _ _

____\------_ _ _ _

____Together, they set up what little they have with them in terms of supplies. Some sacks of tools and food, makeup, knives, and spray paint cans were most of the items deemed worth bringing along, once necessity and sentimentality were both taken into consideration. As much as they would have loved to bring something else to keep warm, tattered curtains with dozens of little holes were the best thing they had. Now, they were glad they hadn't brought along any, because with the freezing night air they wouldn't have offered much comfort._ _ _ _

____“Hey, uh,” Jay mutters to Evie when they have a moment alone, as Mal and Carlos are stuffing the remaining apples into their one backpack, “I’m sorry. I just leaned too far out of the boat. You do look pretty hot with the bling on though.”_ _ _ _

____She laughs and swats at his arm easily as she settles down onto the tarp, the two sitting cross-legged beside each other._ _ _ _

____“Don’t be silly, Jay.” Evie’s voice is soft as she smiles at him, and her eyes are as bright as always. “We don’t blame you, okay? Let’s just focus on what we have to do next.” She places a warm hand over his own, and he feels a little better._ _ _ _

____“Think of it like an adventure, right?” His dark eyes flicker from the silver on her neck back up to her face._ _ _ _

____When he sees that Evie hasn’t removed her gaze from him at all, Jay is suddenly overwhelmed with the intensity of it all. He finds it’s not entirely unpleasant. “Whatever you need to do.”_ _ _ _

____\------_ _ _ _

____None of them sleep well that night. On an island constantly filled with noise and light, nothing ever paused for them to breathe, and the still quiet of the forest is deeply strange._ _ _ _

____Turning over yet again, Carlos keeps his eyes trained on the dark trees. If something jumps out- god forbid, a snarling wolf- he'll be ready to fight. One of his makeshift knives is clutched so tightly in his hand that he would almost worry about it breaking, if he weren't so focused on making sure nothing was about to rip his throat out._ _ _ _

_____'Hydrogen, helium, lithium, beryllium, boron, carbon...' ____ _ _ _

______He's strong. Carlos has gone up against his mother, and Uma's pirates, and bullies at school, and violent villains. He has his friends at his side, and they can survive anything. That doesn't mean he won't pay attention to the horrors of the night._ _ _ _ _ _

_______'Nitrogen, oxygen, floruine, neon, sodium...' ____ _ _ _ _ _

________He turns over again in the dirt. He knows that Mal, Jay, and Evie are still awake, but they lay perfectly still on the ground beside him, and don't mention his constant tossing. He's grateful for that._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________How did the heroes of his mother's story ever take in so many dogs? A hundred and one of them, especially? They must have been freaks with an obsession for fangs and disgusting wet fur smell. Carlos thanks the stars that he'll probably never meet them._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________'Magnesium, aluminum, silicon, phosphorus, sulfur...' ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Somehow, he's almost sick of his mantra. The periodic table has always been calming enough to repeat on a loop in his mind, but Carlos finds that in the dead of night in a foreign country isn't the most soothing environment. But then again, neither was Hell Hall._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________'Chlorine, argon, potassium, calcium, scandium...' ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Fuck it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________"Hey, guys. Remember when we all formed our gang?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Silence. For a long moment, his chest tightens, worried that his friends had actually managed to fall asleep in the short time he'd taken from magnesium to scandium, but then a small voice responds in the quiet._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________"Yeah. Mal was ready to chop my head off, Jay wouldn't stop flirting with me, and you were my only friend." Evie giggles, reminiscing about all those years ago as she turns her head to face Carlos. "But after the Dragon's Eye mess... well, we had something special. Remember when Uma challenged Mal to that sword fight?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________There's a scoff from the other side of Jay. "Yeah, and I totally beat her ass."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Carlos can practically hear Evie's eye roll. "It was a draw, M. But you certainly were quite the fighter. I remember I was really impressed."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________"I definitely bested Hook, though." Jay's voice gives away his grin. "Threw his dumb sword into the water. And that time Evie threw a bunch of that chemical stuff at Gaston? Totally epic."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________They continue like this for a while, sharing stories and laughing as the stars shine above them. When Mal brings up Evie's zipline from her window to Carlos', Jay smiles about the time he injured himself jumping across roofs and the others had to take care of him for a week, and then Evie reminds him of when she and Mal escaped detention from right under Dr. Facilier's nose._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________"Hey, 'Los, remember when you invented that thing that kept whacking CJ on the back of her head when she tried to talk? That was fucking hilarious, man."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________When Jay doesn't receive a response, he glances over to Carlos from across the girls to find him sound asleep._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Smiling to himself, he rests his head against Mal's shoulder and closes his eyes, too._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________That night, he dreams of gold and whispered promises, of a man with tousled black hair that looks too much like his own beside a beautiful woman, arguing with a man in a shining crown. He sees visions of a silver necklace around his friend's neck, snatched away by a dark hand, the sound of yelling- angry screaming from a dozen people, at least- filling his head._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________But he sleeps through it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________\------_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________The next morning, Mal, while yawning and stretching, rolls Jay over with a kick. The boy wakes up flailing and glares sleepily at her, shoving her back with both hands, and quickly leaps to his feet to check the surrounding area for any danger. Evie and Carlos, the early risers, are already packing up their things into the bag and eating their remaining apple slice- one for each of the four._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________"Morning, you two," Evie beams at her friends, slinging the pack over her shoulder and brushing through her blue hair with one hand. "Ready to take off?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jay glances at the sky and frowns. It's almost too bright. The sky is a brilliant blue painted over with clouds like stretched white wool, the light of the sun shooting beams through the treetops. As much as he hates to admit it, Auradon really is beautiful._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Mal steps up and puts a hand on his shoulder, gazing into his eyes in a gentle way that isn't usually seen on the face of Maleficent's daughter. "Are we?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jay blinks. He takes one more look at the green surrounding them, and nods slightly to himself. It's time. "Yeah. We're ready."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaaack. I took a break from updating for a few months to get through the holidays and whatnot, but I'm here with more updates now. This chapter was as little shorter than usual for story purposes, but the rest of them going forward will hit 3-4 thousand. I expect chapter five to be up next week.
> 
> Also, if you want to keep up with how writing is going or check out some of my other Descendants work, I'm on tumblr at @hoodpane. Feel free to send me asks about Good Days or Descendants stuff in general!


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